RANCHO BERNARDO  Mayor-elect Bob Filner declared Thursday that public safety is his top priority and that he intends to immediately ask for $22 million for San Diego’s police and fire departments.

Filner also announced that both Police Chief Bill Lansdowne and Fire Chief Javier Mainar have accepted his invitation to continue leadership of their departments.

“They have done an incredible job, they have the confidence of the men and women in their force,” Filner said.

Filner made the announcements at Fire Station 33 in Rancho Bernardo, where he was flanked by leaders from both departments as well as city Councilwoman Marti Emerald, who Filner said will spearhead his effort.

He said the $22 million will be a one-time cash infusion that will come from the $27 million the city received in a settlement from San Diego Gas & Electric for damages related to the 2007 wildfires. The money currently sits in a reserve public liability fund.

Filner said he wants $8 million to update the Police Department’s outdated communication system and $2 million to refurbish the police range for more modern training.

For the Fire Department, he planned to ask for almost $12 million. The money will be used to plan, design and build a new fire station on Home Avenue that will serve southeast and east San Diego; plan and design a fire station in Paradise Hills; and purchase trucks for the Home Avenue station as well as a new station in Mission Valley already set to be built.

Additionally, Filner wants about $500,000 for a new cliff rescue vehicle for San Diego lifeguards.

Filner said the improvements will further the safety of the citizens, as well as go a long way to building up the departments and the morale of employees.

“The day of denigrating our public employees is over,” Filner said.

Filner said the changes are part of a $66 million five-year action plan to rebuild the police and fire departments in both equipment and staffing after 10 years of budget cuts have taken their toll.

“It’s a bright future for all of us,” Lansdowne said.

Lansdowne has led the Police Department since 2003, and crime has dropped to 30-year lows during his tenure. The department’s reputation was tarnished somewhat following a wave of officer misconduct cases that made headlines last year.

Mainar, a 32-year veteran of the Fire Department, was second-in-command when he took over as fire chief 2009.